Category: World Championship

We will be back in the morning at 10am when Judd Trump bids for a quarter-final spot leading Tom Ford 11-5, while Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire resume with Maguire 5-3 ahead. See you then.

Jones leaves blue over a top bag after a protracted safety battle and Si bangs in the blue and pink from distance. Phew! What a session. A 9-7 overnight lead for Jones before they play to a finish on Saturday afternoon. Absorbing stuff.

Fine long yellow by Jones is followed with an excellent cut on green. Tries to play snooker on brown, but ends up leaving the brown over left centre and Si pops in the brown, but opts against going for a tough blue to run safe. Jones then with an excellent safety on the blue. Si manages to get the blue safe down the left flank. Will settle for that.

Si forced to escape from a snooker before leaving his opponent in a tough snooker behind the black seconds later. Jones off one cushion up the left flank, but manages to connect and doesn’t leave the yellow.

Jones throws in another awful shot as he sticks up a red over a middle pocket by connecting with the black. Jones can’t believe he’s played that shot. Si slots the final two reds, but no yellow to follow. A break of 12 for a lead of 17 points on the colours.

Another nervy finish to this frame with two reds in baulk. Safety the order of the day to finalise the destination of it. One of the poorest sessions of snooker you will see surely at this stage of a World Championship with both men toiling badly.

Si quickly gets the black back on its spot as he moves seven points clear with a run of 32. Three final reds are near side cushions. But Si then butchers a black off the spot. Just hit the white ball far too hard. A shake of the head from Si, who then produces a stunning pot on a long red seconds later. Goes for a long green, but ends up seeing the white going in-off as he fails to connect with any of the reds.

Si with a deep screw back to baulk off a red. Doesn’t leave too much as three reds head for a side cushions. This final frame of session not slipping quietly into the Sheffield night. But Jones produces an excellent pot on a long-range red. Si hasn’t potted a ball for 20 minutes. But he will now as Jones misses a cut on a blue to right middle. Hits the cue against table in frustration.

Would you believe that? Jones making decent progress on 31 as he drops in a tough cut on black only for the white to bury itself down the right middle pocket. Not sure how that cue ball managed that trick from such an acute angle.

The final frame of a fairly turgid session is up and running. Not sure either man will be unhappy to see the back of it. Another poor safety shot by Si presents Jak with another easy starter. Dreadful safety shot really.

Jones far from at his best all day, but has guaranteed an overnight lead by winning this frame. Closing break of 53 to see out the frame by Jak. He moves 9-6 ahead with one more frame to come of the sesh.

SI has a pop at a long red. Not on target and the red comes up to hang over a centre pocket. Chance then for Jones to move back into a 9-6 advantage.

Si with a fine pot to a left centre on red, but nothing much else coming to back it up. Jones missing with a long attempt at a red before Si cues across the white in taking on a red and is left smiling at the table. Only way frames are going to be won is by various visits to the table it seems.

Si clatters into a red in potting another red, and is quickly out of position. Just the safety to follow. Every pot is a mini-triumph out there as Jones sees a cross double on a red drop.

Seems to be a familiar routine with Jones getting first go at the balls every time Si breaks off. What will he make from his visit to the table this time? And the answer is 18 as he misses a red to left middle. And studies the reds in disgust.

A very unpredictable match as Si slams in a difficult blue to cut the gap to only two frames. Jones looking far from happy with his game.

One more difficult red on side rail. Is key to the frame surely. Jak tries to release it via pink, but nothing doing as red hardly moves and just the safety to follow. Another taut battle on the final red coming up. Si pots red off one cushion in baulk. Apologises for the fluke, but he then misses the mid-range pink before Jones misses mid-range yellow. This match littered with mistakes.

And another bad miss comes off the cue of Si as he misses a straight pink to right centre. Rolled in 40, but then slips up when the frame looked within touching distance. Errors more apparent than great shots.

Si needing the final three frames of the session to level up this match. Which didn’t look likely not so long ago as Jones moved to the cusp of a 9-3 lead. Big swing in momentum and Si is starting to cue a bit better too.

Another attempt at a long red is hit thick by Si as he presents Jones with first poke at the balls in the 14th frame. But a frustrated Jones then butchers a black off the spot and swings his cue in the air. A real struggle for both players.

Si right back in the hunt then by winning another poor frame. For once, punishes the Jones error and is back to within three frames at 8-5.

A poor safety shot by Si, but Jones only adds eight points as he misses a pink off the spot. A poor error really, and suddenly Si has another chance to win a frame. All the reds are in the open and there for the taking.

One-visit hits not really the order of the day in this contest as another attempt on a red by Jones rattles the jaws of a top pocket. Neither player can complain about being played off the table. Both have had plenty of opportunities to score, but have struggled with the surroundings.

Si responds with a quickfire cameo knock of 27, but he can’t open the reds off the brown. Great attempt, but just safety to follow after white careered into pin.

Another cut on a blue to right centre eludes Jones and Si back out of his chair looking for some consistency. Has been a very scrappy match.

Off we go then for the 13th frame. This scoreline could easily be in favour of Si, but Jones has been more clinical in converting his chances. Long red crunched into the pocket by Jak to gain access to the table.

Si manages to steady the ship as he drops in green, brown, blue and pink to somehow scramble over the line in the frame. Back to 8-4 behind. Four more frames to play this evening. This match still not over. Neither player look overly confident.

Si spurns another chance to wrap up a frame as he falters in getting position on the green. Lays a decent snooker behind brown. Which Jones twice fails to escape from. Jones hits the green third time, but leaves green to left centre.

Jak back in the box seat here for a 9-3 lead. Reds all out in the open. Three reds will be enough to seal another frame. Si forced to wonder what might have been. There is the prospect this match could be won tonight with four more frames to come. But then Jones misses a black off the spot. That is a bad miss. Si handed a lifeline.

Si all at sea as he tries to slot blue at pace. Thumps the jaws and blue bounds back out. So Jones again goes unpunished for his missed blue.

A comedy of errors at the Crucible as Jones slots blue to right centre, but somehow knocks the white into the opposite pocket. Another chance is presented to Si. Has been story of the match.

Really worrying moments for Si, who misses the chance of a long red by some distance and leaves Jones right bang in among the balls. Glorious chance to extend lead to six frames after this visit.

Well, Jones is moving 8-3 ahead of Si with a break of 55. The young Chinese player is all over the show in this match. Missing so many chances, and is losing frames he should be winning. A bad day at the office for Si, last year’s Crucible semi-finalist. One more frame before the mid-session interval.

Both men missing chances to poke home some balls, but suddenly Si is presented with a very decent opportunity to keep Jak in his seat. Surely has to start converting some of these chances. Hasn’t been short of them so far. But another opportunity comes and goes as Si runs out of position and then misses a red. A real struggle.

Jones breaks down on his first visit to the table with Si handed some scope to get hand on table to score. Decent red and green to get himself moving. But then Si misses a black off the spot on 13. Bad miss really.

Si somehow manages to lose a frame that looked won. Jones drops in an excellent pink under pressure from distance before holing the black off the spot. And that is a 7-3 lead. Frame lasted over 30 minutes. Two more frames before the mid-session break.

An epic finish to this 10th frame. Si has lost four frames on black balls. Would dearly love to avoid such a finale in this frame. Opts for a containing safety on pink rather than go for a tougher cutback on pink from distance.

Well, would you believe it. Jones pots the blue, snookers Si behind the black and his opponent misses the pink off the side cushion. That is remarkable. Frame back in the mixer then. Jones needing two balls.

Safety blunder by Jones as he hits blue with red, sticks up red in middle of table and this is a golden chance for Si to close to within two frames at 6-4 behind. Brilliant pot on frame-ball brown on right centre to leave Jak needing one snooker.

“I was confident going into it. For some reason, I found something,” said Gilbert. “I battled well, and I was pleased to win a lot of those frames. I could tell he was struggling. He nicked a good one to go 5-3 instead of 6-2. Out there you can sink or swim. I practised hard, and it was just about keeping my rhythm. It is irrelevant who I play. I couldn’t care less.”

Dave bangs in the red and pink to put the frame and match beyond the Milkman. The handshake comes. A 13-4 victory for David Gilbert, who will meet Shaun Murphy or Stephen Maguire in the quarter-finals.

Pink is back on its spot now and suddenly there is a clear path to finalising this victory in the first frame of the evening. 28 from Dave before he runs the white back to the baulk cushion. Poor safety by Milkins, and that might be his last shot of this match.

Gilbert makes 21 before a red eludes him, but the Milkman can’t really cash in as a few attempts of his own go haywire. Not sure how much interest Milkins has really left in this match. Can’t blame him.

An aggressive safety shot by Dave Gilbert to open the pack of reds. Leaves Milkins a long red to attack, but he can’t get the potting angle right and the white races into the pack. So first chance of frame falls to Gilbert. Pink and black out of commission so cue ball will be travelling up and down for blue.

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 11-5 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire 5-3 Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert 13-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-3 Si Jiahui

A 12-4 lead for 2019 semi-finalist David Gilbert against former Welsh Open champion Robert Milkins, who threw the cue in earlier, if not quite the towel, in losing the second session 7-1. Eight frames to be played tonight, and Milkins needs them all. Which looks and sounds like an impossible task. Jak Jones is 6-2 ahead of Si Jiahui in the battle of the qualifiers on the other main table. Boys on baize at back of 7pm.

We will be back just before 7pm with David Gilbert leading Robert Milkins 12-4 needing one more frame this evening to reach the quarter-finals with Jak Jones 6-2 up on Si Jiahui ahead of their second session of a possible three. See you then.

Murphy scrambling for another snooker, but he leaves the red over a top pocket and Stephen drops it in. The handshake comes from Murphy and Maguire is two frames clear overnight leading 5-3. All to play for then when they resume on Saturday morning. The final session of the match comes on Sunday morning.

Murphy gets one snooker back as Maguire just fails to connect with the red at top end of table off three cushions. How close was that to hitting the red? Almost scraped the paintwork.

What an effort this has been from Maguire. A brilliant 72 break to the final red should be good enough for a 5-3 advantage before they resume at 10am on Saturday morning for another batch of eight frames. Murphy chasing three snookers on the final red. A tall order.

On-fire Maguire is looking good for an overnight lead. Cracking shot with rest to slip home a red, and the break continues as he manages to sneak in behind a red near a side cushion. Delightful stuff from the former UK champion as the break reaches 59.

So Shaun has chance here to level up this first session at 4-4 for the day. Nice angle on the blue to yellow bag as he opens up reds, but he somehow jaws the blue. Didn’t expect that miss. Opportunity passes then to Maguire as the Glaswegian returns to the table. A real uncompromising battle today this one.

Not exactly vintage fare from this celebrated duo, but the Scotsman Maguire is one frame clear with one frame to come of the session. Murphy with breaks of 56 and 57 and Maguire unearthing 50 and 68. Not great scoring, but a tough old contest. Matchplay the key so far.

Judd with breaks of 107, 67. 59 and 50 this afternoon as Tom weighed in with 73 and 83 of his own. Enjoy this piece of magic from the world No. 2.

• Judd Trump 11-5 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire 5-3 Shaun Murphy

A fighting response from Tom to finish the afternoon. Lost the first session 6-2 and this one 5-3. So is going to return tomorrow morning trailing 11-5. Excellent stuff by Tom as he produces an 83 break to close to within six frames. Pride in performance by Ford to keep his flame flickering for the final session. All Judd today, but Ford with a solid cameo to finish. First man to 13 reaches the last eight.

One more frame to come then of the day. Tom Ford played well out of this match this avo. Judd still playing the right shot despite his heavy lead. Taking absolutely no liberties with the game. Which is the right thing to do. But he then mishits a safety attempt from distance to stick Tom back into bat among the reds. Not sure he has left much. Judd getting the rub of the old green baize too. But he nips in a red along the top cush before rattling a pink down the yellow bag.

All one-way traffic now with poor Tom Ford clearly with one foot out of the exit door. You do wonder why they bring players back to play one more frame on Saturday morning. Tom looks like he could do with a nice cuppa and a good book to soothe his mind. Has been battered today by the Juddernaut. Stunning play by Trump here with two pinks and a long red thrilling the Crucible crowd. Exhibition party is well under way.

Suspect Tom might have run his race here. An early chance falls to the Leicester man, but he can only make one as Judd returns ready to pile on the points. Hasn’t needed a second invitation this afternoon. Which is why he among the favourites to claim the title a week on Monday.

No question that Trump’s long game has been right on it so far today. Which helps boost the other dominant departments of his game. In goes another red from distance, and that should be that for this 14th frame. Ford with a smile as he remains planted in his seat. Two more frames to play of this session so Judd is going to enjoy at least a four-frame lead overnight. But it could be bigger.

Judd going through these balls like a hot knife through butter, but he can’t land on black from a red. Was an elementary mistake, and he is forced to take his medicine by running safe off green. A solid 59, but Trump still needs one more red and colour to lead 10-4.

Tom trying to make a fast start to this 14th frame, but he throws in another untimely error by missing a black off spot. Wasn’t easy cueing, but expected that to drop. Ford’s shoulders drop as Judd returns to his place of work.

Tom with a double hit on a yellow down the cushion to topple in the yellow over a top bag, and that seals the deal in this frame. Back to 9-4 behind. Which means we will have a third session tomorrow morning. Just a question of how big the Judd lead is going to be.

Neither of the old foes finding their best form in the opening four frames. 2-2 is about right on the balance of play.

48 from Tom as tricky final red eludes him. Not quite over the line yet. Judd needing a snooker then on the colours to tie the frame.

Lovely shot by Tom to cannon a red and free up the black. Plenty of work to be done at this visit, but four reds in open. Really should be putting frame to bed at this level. Just has to be mindful.

Brilliant cut on a red by Judd to remain at the table, but he then misses a mid-range brown at pace. Nowhere near the potting angle as he wanders back to his chair sporting a bemused look. What can Tom do here?

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 9-3 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire 2-1 Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

50 break from ‘The Maverick’ in the third frame as he moves 2-1 clear. One more frame before their mid-session break with Murphy gaining the upper hand in the fourth frame.

One remaining red is sort of blocked by the pink on green spot. But nothing else is much of an issue. Studying his options on the black. Will he play to cannon the red? And the answer is no. Just looking for the final red to leave Tom needing a snooker. Got a heavy contact on the black. 48 break, but an error on the final red leaves Tom chance. He misses from distance, and Judd doesn’t. That is surely 9-3. And Ford has seen enough as they head for the mid-session break.

Ford just running into too many problems at the table. While Judd seems to have clarity of thought and shot. Black back on its spot and in the open. Nothing difficult here. Looks very much like 9-3 incoming with three more reds left up.

The winner of this match will meet Jak Jones or Si Jiahui in the last eight. Jones 6-2 up in that one. Trump and Ford are due to play to a conclusion at 10am tomorrow morning. Superb long red by Ford early in the 12th frame. Obviously vital that he doesn’t fall further behind. But not much luck there as he opens the pack of reds, but doesn’t land on black. Goes for a long blue, but nothing doing.

The old rivals Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire have split the first two frames of the day on the other main showpiece table. Early doors in that one.

Another excellent contribution of 67 from Judd to the final red. Doesn’t need the final red. Ford leaves chance to pot the final red, and Trump hammers it home from distance. What a brilliant pot. A half-chance accepted by the 2019 world champion. That is another frame heading towards Judd in this match. He leads 8-3.

This is very ruthless from Judd so far in racing to 51. Still work to be done with two reds welded near a side cushion, but you wouldn’t put it past the Juddernaut getting the job done in this frame, right here, right now.

Tom with another chance, but can only make 29 as Judd returns to the table aiming to punish his the error of his opponent’s way as a tricky black sticks in jaws. Ford can’t keep passing up chances in this match. Otherwise it could race away from him before their final session tomorrow.

A break of 56 from Murphy sees him claim the first frame of the day on the other main showpiece table.

Tom registers for the first time today to stem the Trump tidal wave. Two more frames to come before the break. Trump 7-3 clear.

Judd fighting the good fight as he closes the gap to 42 points with a possible 35 left up. Still a tall order, but happy to make Tom sweat a bit with one red left on top. Ford then misses an easy red to secure the frame. Edgy sort of miss. But he makes amends by rolling it in from distance. And that will be that.

No maximum from Tom as a tough black just sticks in the jaws. Such a high black is always missable. But a 73 should be good enough to earn him this 10th frame. Judd coming back to the baize needing two snookers.

Every chance of this being a one-visit hit from the Leicester player. Every chance. And every chance too of a 147 attempt on the cards. Only one tough red on the side rail here as he races beyond the 60-mark. This is fast and flowing stuff so far. Ford hitting right back. Saying to Judd: “Have some of this back”. Was presented with a golden chance, but hasn’t knocked it back.

Judd butchers a long red. Not sure if he was playing a shot to nothing, or trying to get white back to baulk, but he has left Tom right bang in among the balls at the business end. Vital that Ford cracks on here.

Brilliant double on a red to keep the break going after rolling in the black to bring up the ton. His 77th of the season. 107 of the best from Judd, and he moves 7-2 ahead in the race to 13. Ford forced to sit and suffer.

Well, Tom Ford was looking to make fast start to the day, but it is Trump who has sped out of the blocks. Heading for a five-frame lead here. Looks to be right at it. Bringing his Sunday best to Friday afternoon at the Crucible.

Fabulous long red by Judd to gain access to the table, and he then fires in a yellow to continue his visit to the table. Studying a plant for his next trick, and in it goes the red. Brilliant shot. Everyone loves a plant.

Trump tries to whack in a long red from distance, but he rattles the jaws. No damage done. Ford would dearly love to win this mini-session 3-1 before the interval.

So we’ve got 2019 world champion Judd Trump holding a 6-2 lead against Tom Ford before they resume in the next 10 minutes, while old foes Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire get their last-16 match up and running. This golden quartet will be hoping for better fortunes than poor old Robert Milkins this morning, who staged a grand collapse against David Gilbert to fall 12-4 behind. His cue has taken a real hammering.

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire 0-0 Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

It could be worse, though. Just ask The Milkman…

Wow. Just wow. It’s a fourth (no, not a typo – FOURTH) time Jak Jones has won on the black, and Si Jiahui had frame ball in all of them. The Silent Assassin has only outscored his opponent 451-436 over the course of the match so far but will re-emerge this evening with a 6-2 lead, with Si looking bereft as he lost by single figures for the third time today.

It’s a fascinating passage with both players exploiting the black-brown huddle. However, eventually Si Jiahui eventually misses the yellow while snookered and Jones pounces, potting the yellow while crucially also screwing back far enough to knock in the green next up…

You take it. No, you! The black has been devilishy set on the baulk line with the brown set right behind it and that was clearly on Jak Jones’ mind as he spends so much time attempting to set up that pot, he fails to nudge the yellow home and we’re into a safety battle with the frame – and match – in the balance.

Si found himself out of position for much of the early portion of that break but eventually sorts himself out, a left-handed pot adds another red to his tally then he completes the job with an assured cannon to split the reds out.

All that hard work looks like it’s been undone when he pushes a red safe, and the 21-year-old does miss out on the frame, but now how we expected. He thins a superb middle red but then hammers the green frame ball into the top corner jaws to hand Jones a lifeline!

It’s the battle of the mid-long reds right now, but eventually Si Jiahui runs out of magic. He’s back at the table much quicker than expected though with Jones also missing, and angrily discarding his rest.

It’s a major let-off for Si Jiahui, Jones leaves himself with nothing on and is forced to thin the red cluster and end his break at 14.

FIVE bounces and in! Jones made the most of the corner jaws to open up his break in frame eight with a scintillating long red, the Welshman has the chance to really take the ascendancy ahead of this evening in this one.

It’s the third black-ball steal of the morning for Jak Jones! He’s rode his luck at times but also taken his opportunities (take note, Rob Milkins) – three of his frames have been won by less than 15 points with Si Jiahui leading 5-2 in 50+ breaks.

Boy is The Farmer hitting his stride. He’s helped by a distinct lack of pressure from Milkins, though in truth the real change has been Gilbert ending those straightforward misses that haunted him earlier this morning and kept the Milkman in it.

There’s no real ‘wow’ moments from Gilbert but there doesn’t need to be, he simply feasts on the pink (TEN pots!) after an enticing red split. The only moment of slight bother is a danger of getting stuck at the top of the table with the frame already in the bag but he simply screws back down to clear the table for his second successive century!

Over on the other table, Jak Jones has re-established his two-frame lead, and was oh-so-close to reaching three figures after a jammy yellow ricochet almost went in on the opposite corner to intended.

Milkins rubbed his neck and shoulders as Gilbert completed that whitewash, they’ve been causing him increasing problems this morning but his big problem is the scoreboard right now.

It’s the last frame of this session after Gilbert has put in breaks of 67, 84 and 136 in the last three, it’s a cagey start though.

“At the moment, Gilbert is the only one of these two playing snooker” isn’t an exaggeration from the Eurosport commentary team. The Farmer splits a red cluster to earn the crowd’s applause once again with the frame already wrapped up, and goes on to get the first century of the day for an even louder ovation!

Four blues, three pinks, and eight blacks (and of course the 15 reds) before clearing out the colours, Gilbert is on his way to the next round. The only question is, how long can Milkins delay the inevitable?

Will Milkins look back on this as the emotional turning point? He’s just fouled at the start the 15th frame, potting the cue ball, which would support that hypothesis.

Despite his commanding lead, Gilbert still looks uncomfortable on the power shots. He attempts to cannon apart the red cluster but doesn’t get too much purchase – thankfully the cue comes back off the top cushion and past the baulk line so he has his choice of colours, opting for green to continue his break.

The Farmer’s finally hitting his stride it seems, after that 67 break last time he’s followed it up with an even better half-century here. He barely looked in any danger of bogging down too – eventually screwing back down the table (while also potting blue, which has sometimes caused problems today) and charges on well past break ball, before a red on the corner jaws eventually ends the best of the match.

Frame over. Game over? Milkins rocketed another red out of the top corner and Gilbert finally puts it to bed, while a 72-28 win on the other table means Jak Jones has re-established his lead over Si Jiahui, 3-2.

That’s an absolute stinker! Milkins requring perfection to recover the frame, he hammers a really poor red into the same jaws that Gilbert just hit, but from about a third of the distance as his opponent! Pressure’s on at the Crucible as Gilbert plays it safe for now, still one snooker needed.

It’s Gilbert’s first half-century, and what a time to do it. The Farmer mostly ploughed the middle of the table, alternating blue-pink after that fantastic opening red to start things off, eventually he jaws a delicate top red, Milkins requires a snooker to keep this frame going.

And we’re off!! It was a cagey start but we’re finally up and running as Gilbert thins a middle red and follows up blue-pink to get the scoreboard ticking.

We are so back.

Rob Milkins is in one hell of a whole here. The good news is that Gilbert’s mistakes are keeping The Milkman in it, the bad news is Milkins is looking even more shredded than his opponent right now, the only good news is he now has 15 minutes to recover.

Milkins is alive, but only just. After four pinks, Gilbert slams the attempted fifth into the corner jaws as he lost his cue action there. Milkins can’t capitalise though and this should be a routine cleanup for The Farmer though, while Si Jiahui’s 84-break sees him enter the interval level with Jak Jones.

Milkins still seems rattled and after a long stalemate, Gilbert finally cuts a red to get back into this frame and opens up a thin red with his next blue pot, earning a smattering of applause.

On the other table, Si Jiahui has finally got on the board!

This has been one hell of a bitty game (and frame) so far hasn’t it?

Milkins gets the pink back on its spot and screws back into a yellow, but then bites off more than he can chew attempting a huge cannon to open up the frame, misses and throws his cue on the floor in disgust!!

It’s yet another Gilbert foul – this time potting the cue – but once again Milkins can’t really capitalise, stunning the white on the red and though he misses the next black, it remains blocking the bottom left.

It’s a cruel game sometimes. Gilbert launches yet another long red to continue his form in that department, but his middle blue cannon inadvertantly pots a red to put us all square early in this crucial frame.

Milkins gave it is his all despite the big margin, but he’s eventually forced to concede defeat and now trails by three frames with just one more to go until the interval in this best-of-25 match.

Milkins handed Gilbert a tricky safety but he responds with the second laser-guided long red of the frame to just extend his advantage a little further before resorting to a safety. Whoever pots the final red will be strong favourite to win this frame.

A textbook long red is the cornerstone and finally there’s a bit of luck in this one as Gilbert’s cannon breaks up the cluster that Milkins threw so much at. It garners three pinks for The Farmer but he can’t close things out as he somewhat snookers himself on the obvious red.

At least Gilbert can’t add insult to injury by taking advantage of all of Milkins’ hard work… Until he misses a gut wrenching red and Gilbert can finally start break-building in earnest.

Milkins is desperately unlucky to be unrewarded from a superb powerful split, but recovers to put his rest potting record at 12 out of 13 now. He follows that up with another cluster cannon but once again it opens up precious little and finally that tells, as he jaws a middle red.

After a slight debate over where the pink is reset to, Milkins is up and running. Can he pull it back to 6-5?

The Milkman hasn’t always delivered today (or yesterday, or in round one) but he’s still here and he’s still fighting! He produces a positional masterclass to ensure it’s 1-1 today, which is probably a fair reflection of the imperfect play.

This could well be the match right here. Gilbert pots the final red but cannons the brown up to a horrible position on the baulk cushion and opts for the safety. He’s so close to snookering Milkins but just misses, and he then works up behind the green from his first pot to set up the open goal…

How to Transform a Table in One Shot by Robert Milkins! He fires the pink home and breaks open the red cluster too, before a sumptuous cushion-first red keeps The Milkman on his round. He can’t finish it off though, playing onto an awkward red then forced to take a tentative safety up the table.

Gilbert takes one, two, THREE looks at the middle pink but ultimately is forced to pot the safer blue, setting up a relatively simple mid-range diagonal red… That he misses! It’s yet another mistake, will this one cost The Farmer a frame?

Milkins refuses a red, opting for a terrible safety shot that allows Gilbert to take first blood instead. The Farmer wasn’t exactly inch-perfect either but has got away with it and he’s up and running.

Two blue misses decided that frame but from staring down the barrel of 5-4, Gilbert’s rescued his three-frame lead.

It looked like this was set to re-establish Gilbert’s dominance on the match, instead it’s right in the balance! Milkins gets straight to work, with a much more confident cannon splitting the central cluster and he thins a wondrously light red off the corner jaws to keep the break going. But after clearing up the baize colours, he can’t finish it off with a screw down to the blue just misplaced, and Gilbert can snatch the frame after all…

Gilbert nails three red-blacks but his cannon to break up the red cluster doesn’t carry too much force and his screw up the table lands too close to the side cushion. He cuts three successive mid-range reds to seemingly regroup, but misses an absolute sitter blue into the middle jaws to allow Milkins to respond. that’s a true howler.

A straight red give Gilbert an easy start this morning.

First up, Jak Jones is introduced to the crowd in this fantastic venue. He walks out to the Stereophonics’ Dakota, Si Jiahui is welcomed by Imagine Dragons and Demons. Got to be first blood to the Silent Assassin, surely? Both are outshone by Milkins though, obviously.

Jimmy White’s been giving his early analysis on this one, saying what we all know: that rescue mission in the eighth frame from Milkins was crucial:

The Milkman failed to deliver for much of yesterday’s session while The Farmer just kept on ploughing to open up a 5-2 lead, but Milkins gave himself a lifeline by clinching the eighth frame in this best-of-25 clash.

Round two continues from the Steel City today, who’ll have the edge to survive in the Crucible? David Gilbert v Robert Milkins is nicely poised from yesterday, while Jak Jones and Si Jiahui also get underway in 15 minutes time. Then after lunch we’ll see Judd Trump, Tom Ford, Stephen Maguire and Shaun Murphy in action!

• David Gilbert 5-3 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones v Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire v Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert v Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones v Si Jiahui

• Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-1 Jackson Page

• John Higgins 10-6 Jamie Jones

Thursday, April 25

• David Gilbert 5-3 Robert Milkins

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford

So we’ve got 2019 world champion Judd Trump holding a 6-2 lead against Tom Ford before they resume in the next 10 minutes, while old foes Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire get their last-16 match up and running. This golden quartet will be hoping for better fortunes than poor old Robert Milkins this morning, who staged a grand collapse against David Gilbert to fall 12-4 behind. His cue has taken a real hammering.

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire 0-0 Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

It could be worse, though. Just ask The Milkman…

Wow. Just wow. It’s a fourth (no, not a typo – FOURTH) time Jak Jones has won on the black, and Si Jiahui had frame ball in all of them. The Silent Assassin has only outscored his opponent 451-436 over the course of the match so far but will re-emerge this evening with a 6-2 lead, with Si looking bereft as he lost by single figures for the third time today.

It’s a fascinating passage with both players exploiting the black-brown huddle. However, eventually Si Jiahui eventually misses the yellow while snookered and Jones pounces, potting the yellow while crucially also screwing back far enough to knock in the green next up…

You take it. No, you! The black has been devilishy set on the baulk line with the brown set right behind it and that was clearly on Jak Jones’ mind as he spends so much time attempting to set up that pot, he fails to nudge the yellow home and we’re into a safety battle with the frame – and match – in the balance.

Si found himself out of position for much of the early portion of that break but eventually sorts himself out, a left-handed pot adds another red to his tally then he completes the job with an assured cannon to split the reds out.

All that hard work looks like it’s been undone when he pushes a red safe, and the 21-year-old does miss out on the frame, but now how we expected. He thins a superb middle red but then hammers the green frame ball into the top corner jaws to hand Jones a lifeline!

It’s the battle of the mid-long reds right now, but eventually Si Jiahui runs out of magic. He’s back at the table much quicker than expected though with Jones also missing, and angrily discarding his rest.

It’s a major let-off for Si Jiahui, Jones leaves himself with nothing on and is forced to thin the red cluster and end his break at 14.

FIVE bounces and in! Jones made the most of the corner jaws to open up his break in frame eight with a scintillating long red, the Welshman has the chance to really take the ascendancy ahead of this evening in this one.

It’s the third black-ball steal of the morning for Jak Jones! He’s rode his luck at times but also taken his opportunities (take note, Rob Milkins) – three of his frames have been won by less than 15 points with Si Jiahui leading 5-2 in 50+ breaks.

Boy is The Farmer hitting his stride. He’s helped by a distinct lack of pressure from Milkins, though in truth the real change has been Gilbert ending those straightforward misses that haunted him earlier this morning and kept the Milkman in it.

There’s no real ‘wow’ moments from Gilbert but there doesn’t need to be, he simply feasts on the pink (TEN pots!) after an enticing red split. The only moment of slight bother is a danger of getting stuck at the top of the table with the frame already in the bag but he simply screws back down to clear the table for his second successive century!

Over on the other table, Jak Jones has re-established his two-frame lead, and was oh-so-close to reaching three figures after a jammy yellow ricochet almost went in on the opposite corner to intended.

Milkins rubbed his neck and shoulders as Gilbert completed that whitewash, they’ve been causing him increasing problems this morning but his big problem is the scoreboard right now.

It’s the last frame of this session after Gilbert has put in breaks of 67, 84 and 136 in the last three, it’s a cagey start though.

“At the moment, Gilbert is the only one of these two playing snooker” isn’t an exaggeration from the Eurosport commentary team. The Farmer splits a red cluster to earn the crowd’s applause once again with the frame already wrapped up, and goes on to get the first century of the day for an even louder ovation!

Four blues, three pinks, and eight blacks (and of course the 15 reds) before clearing out the colours, Gilbert is on his way to the next round. The only question is, how long can Milkins delay the inevitable?

Will Milkins look back on this as the emotional turning point? He’s just fouled at the start the 15th frame, potting the cue ball, which would support that hypothesis.

Despite his commanding lead, Gilbert still looks uncomfortable on the power shots. He attempts to cannon apart the red cluster but doesn’t get too much purchase – thankfully the cue comes back off the top cushion and past the baulk line so he has his choice of colours, opting for green to continue his break.

The Farmer’s finally hitting his stride it seems, after that 67 break last time he’s followed it up with an even better half-century here. He barely looked in any danger of bogging down too – eventually screwing back down the table (while also potting blue, which has sometimes caused problems today) and charges on well past break ball, before a red on the corner jaws eventually ends the best of the match.

Frame over. Game over? Milkins rocketed another red out of the top corner and Gilbert finally puts it to bed, while a 72-28 win on the other table means Jak Jones has re-established his lead over Si Jiahui, 3-2.

That’s an absolute stinker! Milkins requring perfection to recover the frame, he hammers a really poor red into the same jaws that Gilbert just hit, but from about a third of the distance as his opponent! Pressure’s on at the Crucible as Gilbert plays it safe for now, still one snooker needed.

It’s Gilbert’s first half-century, and what a time to do it. The Farmer mostly ploughed the middle of the table, alternating blue-pink after that fantastic opening red to start things off, eventually he jaws a delicate top red, Milkins requires a snooker to keep this frame going.

And we’re off!! It was a cagey start but we’re finally up and running as Gilbert thins a middle red and follows up blue-pink to get the scoreboard ticking.

We are so back.

Rob Milkins is in one hell of a whole here. The good news is that Gilbert’s mistakes are keeping The Milkman in it, the bad news is Milkins is looking even more shredded than his opponent right now, the only good news is he now has 15 minutes to recover.

Milkins is alive, but only just. After four pinks, Gilbert slams the attempted fifth into the corner jaws as he lost his cue action there. Milkins can’t capitalise though and this should be a routine cleanup for The Farmer though, while Si Jiahui’s 84-break sees him enter the interval level with Jak Jones.

Milkins still seems rattled and after a long stalemate, Gilbert finally cuts a red to get back into this frame and opens up a thin red with his next blue pot, earning a smattering of applause.

On the other table, Si Jiahui has finally got on the board!

This has been one hell of a bitty game (and frame) so far hasn’t it?

Milkins gets the pink back on its spot and screws back into a yellow, but then bites off more than he can chew attempting a huge cannon to open up the frame, misses and throws his cue on the floor in disgust!!

It’s yet another Gilbert foul – this time potting the cue – but once again Milkins can’t really capitalise, stunning the white on the red and though he misses the next black, it remains blocking the bottom left.

It’s a cruel game sometimes. Gilbert launches yet another long red to continue his form in that department, but his middle blue cannon inadvertantly pots a red to put us all square early in this crucial frame.

Milkins gave it is his all despite the big margin, but he’s eventually forced to concede defeat and now trails by three frames with just one more to go until the interval in this best-of-25 match.

Milkins handed Gilbert a tricky safety but he responds with the second laser-guided long red of the frame to just extend his advantage a little further before resorting to a safety. Whoever pots the final red will be strong favourite to win this frame.

A textbook long red is the cornerstone and finally there’s a bit of luck in this one as Gilbert’s cannon breaks up the cluster that Milkins threw so much at. It garners three pinks for The Farmer but he can’t close things out as he somewhat snookers himself on the obvious red.

At least Gilbert can’t add insult to injury by taking advantage of all of Milkins’ hard work… Until he misses a gut wrenching red and Gilbert can finally start break-building in earnest.

Milkins is desperately unlucky to be unrewarded from a superb powerful split, but recovers to put his rest potting record at 12 out of 13 now. He follows that up with another cluster cannon but once again it opens up precious little and finally that tells, as he jaws a middle red.

After a slight debate over where the pink is reset to, Milkins is up and running. Can he pull it back to 6-5?

The Milkman hasn’t always delivered today (or yesterday, or in round one) but he’s still here and he’s still fighting! He produces a positional masterclass to ensure it’s 1-1 today, which is probably a fair reflection of the imperfect play.

This could well be the match right here. Gilbert pots the final red but cannons the brown up to a horrible position on the baulk cushion and opts for the safety. He’s so close to snookering Milkins but just misses, and he then works up behind the green from his first pot to set up the open goal…

How to Transform a Table in One Shot by Robert Milkins! He fires the pink home and breaks open the red cluster too, before a sumptuous cushion-first red keeps The Milkman on his round. He can’t finish it off though, playing onto an awkward red then forced to take a tentative safety up the table.

Gilbert takes one, two, THREE looks at the middle pink but ultimately is forced to pot the safer blue, setting up a relatively simple mid-range diagonal red… That he misses! It’s yet another mistake, will this one cost The Farmer a frame?

Milkins refuses a red, opting for a terrible safety shot that allows Gilbert to take first blood instead. The Farmer wasn’t exactly inch-perfect either but has got away with it and he’s up and running.

Two blue misses decided that frame but from staring down the barrel of 5-4, Gilbert’s rescued his three-frame lead.

It looked like this was set to re-establish Gilbert’s dominance on the match, instead it’s right in the balance! Milkins gets straight to work, with a much more confident cannon splitting the central cluster and he thins a wondrously light red off the corner jaws to keep the break going. But after clearing up the baize colours, he can’t finish it off with a screw down to the blue just misplaced, and Gilbert can snatch the frame after all…

Gilbert nails three red-blacks but his cannon to break up the red cluster doesn’t carry too much force and his screw up the table lands too close to the side cushion. He cuts three successive mid-range reds to seemingly regroup, but misses an absolute sitter blue into the middle jaws to allow Milkins to respond. that’s a true howler.

A straight red give Gilbert an easy start this morning.

First up, Jak Jones is introduced to the crowd in this fantastic venue. He walks out to the Stereophonics’ Dakota, Si Jiahui is welcomed by Imagine Dragons and Demons. Got to be first blood to the Silent Assassin, surely? Both are outshone by Milkins though, obviously.

Jimmy White’s been giving his early analysis on this one, saying what we all know: that rescue mission in the eighth frame from Milkins was crucial:

The Milkman failed to deliver for much of yesterday’s session while The Farmer just kept on ploughing to open up a 5-2 lead, but Milkins gave himself a lifeline by clinching the eighth frame in this best-of-25 clash.

Round two continues from the Steel City today, who’ll have the edge to survive in the Crucible? David Gilbert v Robert Milkins is nicely poised from yesterday, while Jak Jones and Si Jiahui also get underway in 15 minutes time. Then after lunch we’ll see Judd Trump, Tom Ford, Stephen Maguire and Shaun Murphy in action!

• David Gilbert 5-3 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones v Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire v Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert v Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones v Si Jiahui

• Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-1 Jackson Page

• John Higgins 10-6 Jamie Jones

Thursday, April 25

• David Gilbert 5-3 Robert Milkins

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford

Latest: Trump 9-3 Ford

One remaining red is sort of blocked by the pink on green spot. But nothing else is much of an issue. Studying his options on the black. Will he play to cannon the red? And the answer is no. Just looking for the final red to leave Tom needing a snooker. Got a heavy contact on the black. 48 break, but an error on the final red leaves Tom chance. He misses from distance, and Judd doesn’t. That is surely 9-3. And Ford has seen enough as they head for the mid-session break.

Ford just running into too many problems at the table. While Judd seems to have clarity of thought and shot. Black back on its spot and in the open. Nothing difficult here. Looks very much like 9-3 incoming with three more reds left up.

The winner of this match will meet Jak Jones or Si Jiahui in the last eight. Jones 6-2 up in that one. Trump and Ford are due to play to a conclusion at 10am tomorrow morning. Superb long red by Ford early in the 12th frame. Obviously vital that he doesn’t fall further behind. But not much luck there as he opens the pack of reds, but doesn’t land on black. Goes for a long blue, but nothing doing.

The old rivals Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire have split the first two frames of the day on the other main showpiece table. Early doors in that one.

Another excellent contribution of 67 from Judd to the final red. Doesn’t need the final red. Ford leaves chance to pot the final red, and Trump hammers it home from distance. What a brilliant pot. A half-chance accepted by the 2019 world champion. That is another frame heading towards Judd in this match. He leads 8-3.

This is very ruthless from Judd so far in racing to 51. Still work to be done with two reds welded near a side cushion, but you wouldn’t put it past the Juddernaut getting the job done in this frame, right here, right now.

Tom with another chance, but can only make 29 as Judd returns to the table aiming to punish his the error of his opponent’s way as a tricky black sticks in jaws. Ford can’t keep passing up chances in this match. Otherwise it could race away from him before their final session tomorrow.

A break of 56 from Murphy sees him claim the first frame of the day on the other main showpiece table.

Tom registers for the first time today to stem the Trump tidal wave. Two more frames to come before the break. Trump 7-3 clear.

Judd fighting the good fight as he closes the gap to 42 points with a possible 35 left up. Still a tall order, but happy to make Tom sweat a bit with one red left on top. Ford then misses an easy red to secure the frame. Edgy sort of miss. But he makes amends by rolling it in from distance. And that will be that.

No maximum from Tom as a tough black just sticks in the jaws. Such a high black is always missable. But a 73 should be good enough to earn him this 10th frame. Judd coming back to the baize needing two snookers.

Every chance of this being a one-visit hit from the Leicester player. Every chance. And every chance too of a 147 attempt on the cards. Only one tough red on the side rail here as he races beyond the 60-mark. This is fast and flowing stuff so far. Ford hitting right back. Saying to Judd: “Have some of this back”. Was presented with a golden chance, but hasn’t knocked it back.

Judd butchers a long red. Not sure if he was playing a shot to nothing, or trying to get white back to baulk, but he has left Tom right bang in among the balls at the business end. Vital that Ford cracks on here.

Brilliant double on a red to keep the break going after rolling in the black to bring up the ton. His 77th of the season. 107 of the best from Judd, and he moves 7-2 ahead in the race to 13. Ford forced to sit and suffer.

Well, Tom Ford was looking to make fast start to the day, but it is Trump who has sped out of the blocks. Heading for a five-frame lead here. Looks to be right at it. Bringing his Sunday best to Friday afternoon at the Crucible.

Fabulous long red by Judd to gain access to the table, and he then fires in a yellow to continue his visit to the table. Studying a plant for his next trick, and in it goes the red. Brilliant shot. Everyone loves a plant.

Trump tries to whack in a long red from distance, but he rattles the jaws. No damage done. Ford would dearly love to win this mini-session 3-1 before the interval.

So we’ve got 2019 world champion Judd Trump holding a 6-2 lead against Tom Ford before they resume in the next 10 minutes, while old foes Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire get their last-16 match up and running. This golden quartet will be hoping for better fortunes than poor old Robert Milkins this morning, who staged a grand collapse against David Gilbert to fall 12-4 behind. His cue has taken a real hammering.

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire 0-0 Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

It could be worse, though. Just ask The Milkman…

Wow. Just wow. It’s a fourth (no, not a typo – FOURTH) time Jak Jones has won on the black, and Si Jiahui had frame ball in all of them. The Silent Assassin has only outscored his opponent 451-436 over the course of the match so far but will re-emerge this evening with a 6-2 lead, with Si looking bereft as he lost by single figures for the third time today.

It’s a fascinating passage with both players exploiting the black-brown huddle. However, eventually Si Jiahui eventually misses the yellow while snookered and Jones pounces, potting the yellow while crucially also screwing back far enough to knock in the green next up…

You take it. No, you! The black has been devilishy set on the baulk line with the brown set right behind it and that was clearly on Jak Jones’ mind as he spends so much time attempting to set up that pot, he fails to nudge the yellow home and we’re into a safety battle with the frame – and match – in the balance.

Si found himself out of position for much of the early portion of that break but eventually sorts himself out, a left-handed pot adds another red to his tally then he completes the job with an assured cannon to split the reds out.

All that hard work looks like it’s been undone when he pushes a red safe, and the 21-year-old does miss out on the frame, but now how we expected. He thins a superb middle red but then hammers the green frame ball into the top corner jaws to hand Jones a lifeline!

It’s the battle of the mid-long reds right now, but eventually Si Jiahui runs out of magic. He’s back at the table much quicker than expected though with Jones also missing, and angrily discarding his rest.

It’s a major let-off for Si Jiahui, Jones leaves himself with nothing on and is forced to thin the red cluster and end his break at 14.

FIVE bounces and in! Jones made the most of the corner jaws to open up his break in frame eight with a scintillating long red, the Welshman has the chance to really take the ascendancy ahead of this evening in this one.

It’s the third black-ball steal of the morning for Jak Jones! He’s rode his luck at times but also taken his opportunities (take note, Rob Milkins) – three of his frames have been won by less than 15 points with Si Jiahui leading 5-2 in 50+ breaks.

Boy is The Farmer hitting his stride. He’s helped by a distinct lack of pressure from Milkins, though in truth the real change has been Gilbert ending those straightforward misses that haunted him earlier this morning and kept the Milkman in it.

There’s no real ‘wow’ moments from Gilbert but there doesn’t need to be, he simply feasts on the pink (TEN pots!) after an enticing red split. The only moment of slight bother is a danger of getting stuck at the top of the table with the frame already in the bag but he simply screws back down to clear the table for his second successive century!

Over on the other table, Jak Jones has re-established his two-frame lead, and was oh-so-close to reaching three figures after a jammy yellow ricochet almost went in on the opposite corner to intended.

Milkins rubbed his neck and shoulders as Gilbert completed that whitewash, they’ve been causing him increasing problems this morning but his big problem is the scoreboard right now.

It’s the last frame of this session after Gilbert has put in breaks of 67, 84 and 136 in the last three, it’s a cagey start though.

“At the moment, Gilbert is the only one of these two playing snooker” isn’t an exaggeration from the Eurosport commentary team. The Farmer splits a red cluster to earn the crowd’s applause once again with the frame already wrapped up, and goes on to get the first century of the day for an even louder ovation!

Four blues, three pinks, and eight blacks (and of course the 15 reds) before clearing out the colours, Gilbert is on his way to the next round. The only question is, how long can Milkins delay the inevitable?

Will Milkins look back on this as the emotional turning point? He’s just fouled at the start the 15th frame, potting the cue ball, which would support that hypothesis.

Despite his commanding lead, Gilbert still looks uncomfortable on the power shots. He attempts to cannon apart the red cluster but doesn’t get too much purchase – thankfully the cue comes back off the top cushion and past the baulk line so he has his choice of colours, opting for green to continue his break.

The Farmer’s finally hitting his stride it seems, after that 67 break last time he’s followed it up with an even better half-century here. He barely looked in any danger of bogging down too – eventually screwing back down the table (while also potting blue, which has sometimes caused problems today) and charges on well past break ball, before a red on the corner jaws eventually ends the best of the match.

Frame over. Game over? Milkins rocketed another red out of the top corner and Gilbert finally puts it to bed, while a 72-28 win on the other table means Jak Jones has re-established his lead over Si Jiahui, 3-2.

That’s an absolute stinker! Milkins requring perfection to recover the frame, he hammers a really poor red into the same jaws that Gilbert just hit, but from about a third of the distance as his opponent! Pressure’s on at the Crucible as Gilbert plays it safe for now, still one snooker needed.

It’s Gilbert’s first half-century, and what a time to do it. The Farmer mostly ploughed the middle of the table, alternating blue-pink after that fantastic opening red to start things off, eventually he jaws a delicate top red, Milkins requires a snooker to keep this frame going.

And we’re off!! It was a cagey start but we’re finally up and running as Gilbert thins a middle red and follows up blue-pink to get the scoreboard ticking.

We are so back.

Rob Milkins is in one hell of a whole here. The good news is that Gilbert’s mistakes are keeping The Milkman in it, the bad news is Milkins is looking even more shredded than his opponent right now, the only good news is he now has 15 minutes to recover.

Milkins is alive, but only just. After four pinks, Gilbert slams the attempted fifth into the corner jaws as he lost his cue action there. Milkins can’t capitalise though and this should be a routine cleanup for The Farmer though, while Si Jiahui’s 84-break sees him enter the interval level with Jak Jones.

Milkins still seems rattled and after a long stalemate, Gilbert finally cuts a red to get back into this frame and opens up a thin red with his next blue pot, earning a smattering of applause.

On the other table, Si Jiahui has finally got on the board!

This has been one hell of a bitty game (and frame) so far hasn’t it?

Milkins gets the pink back on its spot and screws back into a yellow, but then bites off more than he can chew attempting a huge cannon to open up the frame, misses and throws his cue on the floor in disgust!!

It’s yet another Gilbert foul – this time potting the cue – but once again Milkins can’t really capitalise, stunning the white on the red and though he misses the next black, it remains blocking the bottom left.

It’s a cruel game sometimes. Gilbert launches yet another long red to continue his form in that department, but his middle blue cannon inadvertantly pots a red to put us all square early in this crucial frame.

Milkins gave it is his all despite the big margin, but he’s eventually forced to concede defeat and now trails by three frames with just one more to go until the interval in this best-of-25 match.

Milkins handed Gilbert a tricky safety but he responds with the second laser-guided long red of the frame to just extend his advantage a little further before resorting to a safety. Whoever pots the final red will be strong favourite to win this frame.

A textbook long red is the cornerstone and finally there’s a bit of luck in this one as Gilbert’s cannon breaks up the cluster that Milkins threw so much at. It garners three pinks for The Farmer but he can’t close things out as he somewhat snookers himself on the obvious red.

At least Gilbert can’t add insult to injury by taking advantage of all of Milkins’ hard work… Until he misses a gut wrenching red and Gilbert can finally start break-building in earnest.

Milkins is desperately unlucky to be unrewarded from a superb powerful split, but recovers to put his rest potting record at 12 out of 13 now. He follows that up with another cluster cannon but once again it opens up precious little and finally that tells, as he jaws a middle red.

After a slight debate over where the pink is reset to, Milkins is up and running. Can he pull it back to 6-5?

The Milkman hasn’t always delivered today (or yesterday, or in round one) but he’s still here and he’s still fighting! He produces a positional masterclass to ensure it’s 1-1 today, which is probably a fair reflection of the imperfect play.

This could well be the match right here. Gilbert pots the final red but cannons the brown up to a horrible position on the baulk cushion and opts for the safety. He’s so close to snookering Milkins but just misses, and he then works up behind the green from his first pot to set up the open goal…

How to Transform a Table in One Shot by Robert Milkins! He fires the pink home and breaks open the red cluster too, before a sumptuous cushion-first red keeps The Milkman on his round. He can’t finish it off though, playing onto an awkward red then forced to take a tentative safety up the table.

Gilbert takes one, two, THREE looks at the middle pink but ultimately is forced to pot the safer blue, setting up a relatively simple mid-range diagonal red… That he misses! It’s yet another mistake, will this one cost The Farmer a frame?

Milkins refuses a red, opting for a terrible safety shot that allows Gilbert to take first blood instead. The Farmer wasn’t exactly inch-perfect either but has got away with it and he’s up and running.

Two blue misses decided that frame but from staring down the barrel of 5-4, Gilbert’s rescued his three-frame lead.

It looked like this was set to re-establish Gilbert’s dominance on the match, instead it’s right in the balance! Milkins gets straight to work, with a much more confident cannon splitting the central cluster and he thins a wondrously light red off the corner jaws to keep the break going. But after clearing up the baize colours, he can’t finish it off with a screw down to the blue just misplaced, and Gilbert can snatch the frame after all…

Gilbert nails three red-blacks but his cannon to break up the red cluster doesn’t carry too much force and his screw up the table lands too close to the side cushion. He cuts three successive mid-range reds to seemingly regroup, but misses an absolute sitter blue into the middle jaws to allow Milkins to respond. that’s a true howler.

A straight red give Gilbert an easy start this morning.

First up, Jak Jones is introduced to the crowd in this fantastic venue. He walks out to the Stereophonics’ Dakota, Si Jiahui is welcomed by Imagine Dragons and Demons. Got to be first blood to the Silent Assassin, surely? Both are outshone by Milkins though, obviously.

Jimmy White’s been giving his early analysis on this one, saying what we all know: that rescue mission in the eighth frame from Milkins was crucial:

The Milkman failed to deliver for much of yesterday’s session while The Farmer just kept on ploughing to open up a 5-2 lead, but Milkins gave himself a lifeline by clinching the eighth frame in this best-of-25 clash.

Round two continues from the Steel City today, who’ll have the edge to survive in the Crucible? David Gilbert v Robert Milkins is nicely poised from yesterday, while Jak Jones and Si Jiahui also get underway in 15 minutes time. Then after lunch we’ll see Judd Trump, Tom Ford, Stephen Maguire and Shaun Murphy in action!

• David Gilbert 5-3 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones v Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire v Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert v Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones v Si Jiahui

• Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-1 Jackson Page

• John Higgins 10-6 Jamie Jones

Thursday, April 25

• David Gilbert 5-3 Robert Milkins

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 9-3 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire 2-1 Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

50 break from ‘The Maverick’ in the third frame as he moves 2-1 clear. One more frame before their mid-session break with Murphy gaining the upper hand in the fourth frame.

One remaining red is sort of blocked by the pink on green spot. But nothing else is much of an issue. Studying his options on the black. Will he play to cannon the red? And the answer is no. Just looking for the final red to leave Tom needing a snooker. Got a heavy contact on the black. 48 break, but an error on the final red leaves Tom chance. He misses from distance, and Judd doesn’t. That is surely 9-3. And Ford has seen enough as they head for the mid-session break.

Ford just running into too many problems at the table. While Judd seems to have clarity of thought and shot. Black back on its spot and in the open. Nothing difficult here. Looks very much like 9-3 incoming with three more reds left up.

The winner of this match will meet Jak Jones or Si Jiahui in the last eight. Jones 6-2 up in that one. Trump and Ford are due to play to a conclusion at 10am tomorrow morning. Superb long red by Ford early in the 12th frame. Obviously vital that he doesn’t fall further behind. But not much luck there as he opens the pack of reds, but doesn’t land on black. Goes for a long blue, but nothing doing.

The old rivals Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire have split the first two frames of the day on the other main showpiece table. Early doors in that one.

Another excellent contribution of 67 from Judd to the final red. Doesn’t need the final red. Ford leaves chance to pot the final red, and Trump hammers it home from distance. What a brilliant pot. A half-chance accepted by the 2019 world champion. That is another frame heading towards Judd in this match. He leads 8-3.

This is very ruthless from Judd so far in racing to 51. Still work to be done with two reds welded near a side cushion, but you wouldn’t put it past the Juddernaut getting the job done in this frame, right here, right now.

Tom with another chance, but can only make 29 as Judd returns to the table aiming to punish his the error of his opponent’s way as a tricky black sticks in jaws. Ford can’t keep passing up chances in this match. Otherwise it could race away from him before their final session tomorrow.

A break of 56 from Murphy sees him claim the first frame of the day on the other main showpiece table.

Tom registers for the first time today to stem the Trump tidal wave. Two more frames to come before the break. Trump 7-3 clear.

Judd fighting the good fight as he closes the gap to 42 points with a possible 35 left up. Still a tall order, but happy to make Tom sweat a bit with one red left on top. Ford then misses an easy red to secure the frame. Edgy sort of miss. But he makes amends by rolling it in from distance. And that will be that.

No maximum from Tom as a tough black just sticks in the jaws. Such a high black is always missable. But a 73 should be good enough to earn him this 10th frame. Judd coming back to the baize needing two snookers.

Every chance of this being a one-visit hit from the Leicester player. Every chance. And every chance too of a 147 attempt on the cards. Only one tough red on the side rail here as he races beyond the 60-mark. This is fast and flowing stuff so far. Ford hitting right back. Saying to Judd: “Have some of this back”. Was presented with a golden chance, but hasn’t knocked it back.

Judd butchers a long red. Not sure if he was playing a shot to nothing, or trying to get white back to baulk, but he has left Tom right bang in among the balls at the business end. Vital that Ford cracks on here.

Brilliant double on a red to keep the break going after rolling in the black to bring up the ton. His 77th of the season. 107 of the best from Judd, and he moves 7-2 ahead in the race to 13. Ford forced to sit and suffer.

Well, Tom Ford was looking to make fast start to the day, but it is Trump who has sped out of the blocks. Heading for a five-frame lead here. Looks to be right at it. Bringing his Sunday best to Friday afternoon at the Crucible.

Fabulous long red by Judd to gain access to the table, and he then fires in a yellow to continue his visit to the table. Studying a plant for his next trick, and in it goes the red. Brilliant shot. Everyone loves a plant.

Trump tries to whack in a long red from distance, but he rattles the jaws. No damage done. Ford would dearly love to win this mini-session 3-1 before the interval.

So we’ve got 2019 world champion Judd Trump holding a 6-2 lead against Tom Ford before they resume in the next 10 minutes, while old foes Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire get their last-16 match up and running. This golden quartet will be hoping for better fortunes than poor old Robert Milkins this morning, who staged a grand collapse against David Gilbert to fall 12-4 behind. His cue has taken a real hammering.

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire 0-0 Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

It could be worse, though. Just ask The Milkman…

Wow. Just wow. It’s a fourth (no, not a typo – FOURTH) time Jak Jones has won on the black, and Si Jiahui had frame ball in all of them. The Silent Assassin has only outscored his opponent 451-436 over the course of the match so far but will re-emerge this evening with a 6-2 lead, with Si looking bereft as he lost by single figures for the third time today.

It’s a fascinating passage with both players exploiting the black-brown huddle. However, eventually Si Jiahui eventually misses the yellow while snookered and Jones pounces, potting the yellow while crucially also screwing back far enough to knock in the green next up…

You take it. No, you! The black has been devilishy set on the baulk line with the brown set right behind it and that was clearly on Jak Jones’ mind as he spends so much time attempting to set up that pot, he fails to nudge the yellow home and we’re into a safety battle with the frame – and match – in the balance.

Si found himself out of position for much of the early portion of that break but eventually sorts himself out, a left-handed pot adds another red to his tally then he completes the job with an assured cannon to split the reds out.

All that hard work looks like it’s been undone when he pushes a red safe, and the 21-year-old does miss out on the frame, but now how we expected. He thins a superb middle red but then hammers the green frame ball into the top corner jaws to hand Jones a lifeline!

It’s the battle of the mid-long reds right now, but eventually Si Jiahui runs out of magic. He’s back at the table much quicker than expected though with Jones also missing, and angrily discarding his rest.

It’s a major let-off for Si Jiahui, Jones leaves himself with nothing on and is forced to thin the red cluster and end his break at 14.

FIVE bounces and in! Jones made the most of the corner jaws to open up his break in frame eight with a scintillating long red, the Welshman has the chance to really take the ascendancy ahead of this evening in this one.

It’s the third black-ball steal of the morning for Jak Jones! He’s rode his luck at times but also taken his opportunities (take note, Rob Milkins) – three of his frames have been won by less than 15 points with Si Jiahui leading 5-2 in 50+ breaks.

Boy is The Farmer hitting his stride. He’s helped by a distinct lack of pressure from Milkins, though in truth the real change has been Gilbert ending those straightforward misses that haunted him earlier this morning and kept the Milkman in it.

There’s no real ‘wow’ moments from Gilbert but there doesn’t need to be, he simply feasts on the pink (TEN pots!) after an enticing red split. The only moment of slight bother is a danger of getting stuck at the top of the table with the frame already in the bag but he simply screws back down to clear the table for his second successive century!

Over on the other table, Jak Jones has re-established his two-frame lead, and was oh-so-close to reaching three figures after a jammy yellow ricochet almost went in on the opposite corner to intended.

Milkins rubbed his neck and shoulders as Gilbert completed that whitewash, they’ve been causing him increasing problems this morning but his big problem is the scoreboard right now.

It’s the last frame of this session after Gilbert has put in breaks of 67, 84 and 136 in the last three, it’s a cagey start though.

“At the moment, Gilbert is the only one of these two playing snooker” isn’t an exaggeration from the Eurosport commentary team. The Farmer splits a red cluster to earn the crowd’s applause once again with the frame already wrapped up, and goes on to get the first century of the day for an even louder ovation!

Four blues, three pinks, and eight blacks (and of course the 15 reds) before clearing out the colours, Gilbert is on his way to the next round. The only question is, how long can Milkins delay the inevitable?

Will Milkins look back on this as the emotional turning point? He’s just fouled at the start the 15th frame, potting the cue ball, which would support that hypothesis.

Despite his commanding lead, Gilbert still looks uncomfortable on the power shots. He attempts to cannon apart the red cluster but doesn’t get too much purchase – thankfully the cue comes back off the top cushion and past the baulk line so he has his choice of colours, opting for green to continue his break.

The Farmer’s finally hitting his stride it seems, after that 67 break last time he’s followed it up with an even better half-century here. He barely looked in any danger of bogging down too – eventually screwing back down the table (while also potting blue, which has sometimes caused problems today) and charges on well past break ball, before a red on the corner jaws eventually ends the best of the match.

Frame over. Game over? Milkins rocketed another red out of the top corner and Gilbert finally puts it to bed, while a 72-28 win on the other table means Jak Jones has re-established his lead over Si Jiahui, 3-2.

That’s an absolute stinker! Milkins requring perfection to recover the frame, he hammers a really poor red into the same jaws that Gilbert just hit, but from about a third of the distance as his opponent! Pressure’s on at the Crucible as Gilbert plays it safe for now, still one snooker needed.

It’s Gilbert’s first half-century, and what a time to do it. The Farmer mostly ploughed the middle of the table, alternating blue-pink after that fantastic opening red to start things off, eventually he jaws a delicate top red, Milkins requires a snooker to keep this frame going.

And we’re off!! It was a cagey start but we’re finally up and running as Gilbert thins a middle red and follows up blue-pink to get the scoreboard ticking.

We are so back.

Rob Milkins is in one hell of a whole here. The good news is that Gilbert’s mistakes are keeping The Milkman in it, the bad news is Milkins is looking even more shredded than his opponent right now, the only good news is he now has 15 minutes to recover.

Milkins is alive, but only just. After four pinks, Gilbert slams the attempted fifth into the corner jaws as he lost his cue action there. Milkins can’t capitalise though and this should be a routine cleanup for The Farmer though, while Si Jiahui’s 84-break sees him enter the interval level with Jak Jones.

Milkins still seems rattled and after a long stalemate, Gilbert finally cuts a red to get back into this frame and opens up a thin red with his next blue pot, earning a smattering of applause.

On the other table, Si Jiahui has finally got on the board!

This has been one hell of a bitty game (and frame) so far hasn’t it?

Milkins gets the pink back on its spot and screws back into a yellow, but then bites off more than he can chew attempting a huge cannon to open up the frame, misses and throws his cue on the floor in disgust!!

It’s yet another Gilbert foul – this time potting the cue – but once again Milkins can’t really capitalise, stunning the white on the red and though he misses the next black, it remains blocking the bottom left.

It’s a cruel game sometimes. Gilbert launches yet another long red to continue his form in that department, but his middle blue cannon inadvertantly pots a red to put us all square early in this crucial frame.

Milkins gave it is his all despite the big margin, but he’s eventually forced to concede defeat and now trails by three frames with just one more to go until the interval in this best-of-25 match.

Milkins handed Gilbert a tricky safety but he responds with the second laser-guided long red of the frame to just extend his advantage a little further before resorting to a safety. Whoever pots the final red will be strong favourite to win this frame.

A textbook long red is the cornerstone and finally there’s a bit of luck in this one as Gilbert’s cannon breaks up the cluster that Milkins threw so much at. It garners three pinks for The Farmer but he can’t close things out as he somewhat snookers himself on the obvious red.

At least Gilbert can’t add insult to injury by taking advantage of all of Milkins’ hard work… Until he misses a gut wrenching red and Gilbert can finally start break-building in earnest.

Milkins is desperately unlucky to be unrewarded from a superb powerful split, but recovers to put his rest potting record at 12 out of 13 now. He follows that up with another cluster cannon but once again it opens up precious little and finally that tells, as he jaws a middle red.

After a slight debate over where the pink is reset to, Milkins is up and running. Can he pull it back to 6-5?

The Milkman hasn’t always delivered today (or yesterday, or in round one) but he’s still here and he’s still fighting! He produces a positional masterclass to ensure it’s 1-1 today, which is probably a fair reflection of the imperfect play.

This could well be the match right here. Gilbert pots the final red but cannons the brown up to a horrible position on the baulk cushion and opts for the safety. He’s so close to snookering Milkins but just misses, and he then works up behind the green from his first pot to set up the open goal…

How to Transform a Table in One Shot by Robert Milkins! He fires the pink home and breaks open the red cluster too, before a sumptuous cushion-first red keeps The Milkman on his round. He can’t finish it off though, playing onto an awkward red then forced to take a tentative safety up the table.

Gilbert takes one, two, THREE looks at the middle pink but ultimately is forced to pot the safer blue, setting up a relatively simple mid-range diagonal red… That he misses! It’s yet another mistake, will this one cost The Farmer a frame?

Milkins refuses a red, opting for a terrible safety shot that allows Gilbert to take first blood instead. The Farmer wasn’t exactly inch-perfect either but has got away with it and he’s up and running.

Two blue misses decided that frame but from staring down the barrel of 5-4, Gilbert’s rescued his three-frame lead.

It looked like this was set to re-establish Gilbert’s dominance on the match, instead it’s right in the balance! Milkins gets straight to work, with a much more confident cannon splitting the central cluster and he thins a wondrously light red off the corner jaws to keep the break going. But after clearing up the baize colours, he can’t finish it off with a screw down to the blue just misplaced, and Gilbert can snatch the frame after all…

Gilbert nails three red-blacks but his cannon to break up the red cluster doesn’t carry too much force and his screw up the table lands too close to the side cushion. He cuts three successive mid-range reds to seemingly regroup, but misses an absolute sitter blue into the middle jaws to allow Milkins to respond. that’s a true howler.

A straight red give Gilbert an easy start this morning.

First up, Jak Jones is introduced to the crowd in this fantastic venue. He walks out to the Stereophonics’ Dakota, Si Jiahui is welcomed by Imagine Dragons and Demons. Got to be first blood to the Silent Assassin, surely? Both are outshone by Milkins though, obviously.

Jimmy White’s been giving his early analysis on this one, saying what we all know: that rescue mission in the eighth frame from Milkins was crucial:

The Milkman failed to deliver for much of yesterday’s session while The Farmer just kept on ploughing to open up a 5-2 lead, but Milkins gave himself a lifeline by clinching the eighth frame in this best-of-25 clash.

Round two continues from the Steel City today, who’ll have the edge to survive in the Crucible? David Gilbert v Robert Milkins is nicely poised from yesterday, while Jak Jones and Si Jiahui also get underway in 15 minutes time. Then after lunch we’ll see Judd Trump, Tom Ford, Stephen Maguire and Shaun Murphy in action!

• David Gilbert 5-3 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones v Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire v Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert v Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones v Si Jiahui

• Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-1 Jackson Page

• John Higgins 10-6 Jamie Jones

Thursday, April 25

• David Gilbert 5-3 Robert Milkins

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford

We will be back just before 7pm with David Gilbert leading Robert Milkins 12-4 needing one more frame this evening to reach the quarter-finals with Jak Jones 6-2 up on Si Jiahui ahead of their second session of a possible three. See you then.

Murphy scrambling for another snooker, but he leaves the red over a top pocket and Stephen drops it in. The handshake comes from Murphy and Maguire is two frames clear overnight leading 5-3. All to play for then when they resume on Saturday morning. The final session of the match comes on Sunday morning.

Murphy gets one snooker back as Maguire just fails to connect with the red at top end of table off three cushions. How close was that to hitting the red? Almost scraped the paintwork.

What an effort this has been from Maguire. A brilliant 72 break to the final red should be good enough for a 5-3 advantage before they resume at 10am on Saturday morning for another batch of eight frames. Murphy chasing three snookers on the final red. A tall order.

On-fire Maguire is looking good for an overnight lead. Cracking shot with rest to slip home a red, and the break continues as he manages to sneak in behind a red near a side cushion. Delightful stuff from the former UK champion as the break reaches 59.

So Shaun has chance here to level up this first session at 4-4 for the day. Nice angle on the blue to yellow bag as he opens up reds, but he somehow jaws the blue. Didn’t expect that miss. Opportunity passes then to Maguire as the Glaswegian returns to the table. A real uncompromising battle today this one.

Not exactly vintage fare from this celebrated duo, but the Scotsman Maguire is one frame clear with one frame to come of the session. Murphy with breaks of 56 and 57 and Maguire unearthing 50 and 68. Not great scoring, but a tough old contest. Matchplay the key so far.

Judd with breaks of 107, 67. 59 and 50 this afternoon as Tom weighed in with 73 and 83 of his own. Enjoy this piece of magic from the world No. 2.

• Judd Trump 11-5 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire 5-3 Shaun Murphy

A fighting response from Tom to finish the afternoon. Lost the first session 6-2 and this one 5-3. So is going to return tomorrow morning trailing 11-5. Excellent stuff by Tom as he produces an 83 break to close to within six frames. Pride in performance by Ford to keep his flame flickering for the final session. All Judd today, but Ford with a solid cameo to finish. First man to 13 reaches the last eight.

One more frame to come then of the day. Tom Ford played well out of this match this avo. Judd still playing the right shot despite his heavy lead. Taking absolutely no liberties with the game. Which is the right thing to do. But he then mishits a safety attempt from distance to stick Tom back into bat among the reds. Not sure he has left much. Judd getting the rub of the old green baize too. But he nips in a red along the top cush before rattling a pink down the yellow bag.

All one-way traffic now with poor Tom Ford clearly with one foot out of the exit door. You do wonder why they bring players back to play one more frame on Saturday morning. Tom looks like he could do with a nice cuppa and a good book to soothe his mind. Has been battered today by the Juddernaut. Stunning play by Trump here with two pinks and a long red thrilling the Crucible crowd. Exhibition party is well under way.

Suspect Tom might have run his race here. An early chance falls to the Leicester man, but he can only make one as Judd returns ready to pile on the points. Hasn’t needed a second invitation this afternoon. Which is why he among the favourites to claim the title a week on Monday.

No question that Trump’s long game has been right on it so far today. Which helps boost the other dominant departments of his game. In goes another red from distance, and that should be that for this 14th frame. Ford with a smile as he remains planted in his seat. Two more frames to play of this session so Judd is going to enjoy at least a four-frame lead overnight. But it could be bigger.

Judd going through these balls like a hot knife through butter, but he can’t land on black from a red. Was an elementary mistake, and he is forced to take his medicine by running safe off green. A solid 59, but Trump still needs one more red and colour to lead 10-4.

Tom trying to make a fast start to this 14th frame, but he throws in another untimely error by missing a black off spot. Wasn’t easy cueing, but expected that to drop. Ford’s shoulders drop as Judd returns to his place of work.

Tom with a double hit on a yellow down the cushion to topple in the yellow over a top bag, and that seals the deal in this frame. Back to 9-4 behind. Which means we will have a third session tomorrow morning. Just a question of how big the Judd lead is going to be.

Neither of the old foes finding their best form in the opening four frames. 2-2 is about right on the balance of play.

48 from Tom as tricky final red eludes him. Not quite over the line yet. Judd needing a snooker then on the colours to tie the frame.

Lovely shot by Tom to cannon a red and free up the black. Plenty of work to be done at this visit, but four reds in open. Really should be putting frame to bed at this level. Just has to be mindful.

Brilliant cut on a red by Judd to remain at the table, but he then misses a mid-range brown at pace. Nowhere near the potting angle as he wanders back to his chair sporting a bemused look. What can Tom do here?

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 9-3 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire 2-1 Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

50 break from ‘The Maverick’ in the third frame as he moves 2-1 clear. One more frame before their mid-session break with Murphy gaining the upper hand in the fourth frame.

One remaining red is sort of blocked by the pink on green spot. But nothing else is much of an issue. Studying his options on the black. Will he play to cannon the red? And the answer is no. Just looking for the final red to leave Tom needing a snooker. Got a heavy contact on the black. 48 break, but an error on the final red leaves Tom chance. He misses from distance, and Judd doesn’t. That is surely 9-3. And Ford has seen enough as they head for the mid-session break.

Ford just running into too many problems at the table. While Judd seems to have clarity of thought and shot. Black back on its spot and in the open. Nothing difficult here. Looks very much like 9-3 incoming with three more reds left up.

The winner of this match will meet Jak Jones or Si Jiahui in the last eight. Jones 6-2 up in that one. Trump and Ford are due to play to a conclusion at 10am tomorrow morning. Superb long red by Ford early in the 12th frame. Obviously vital that he doesn’t fall further behind. But not much luck there as he opens the pack of reds, but doesn’t land on black. Goes for a long blue, but nothing doing.

The old rivals Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire have split the first two frames of the day on the other main showpiece table. Early doors in that one.

Another excellent contribution of 67 from Judd to the final red. Doesn’t need the final red. Ford leaves chance to pot the final red, and Trump hammers it home from distance. What a brilliant pot. A half-chance accepted by the 2019 world champion. That is another frame heading towards Judd in this match. He leads 8-3.

This is very ruthless from Judd so far in racing to 51. Still work to be done with two reds welded near a side cushion, but you wouldn’t put it past the Juddernaut getting the job done in this frame, right here, right now.

Tom with another chance, but can only make 29 as Judd returns to the table aiming to punish his the error of his opponent’s way as a tricky black sticks in jaws. Ford can’t keep passing up chances in this match. Otherwise it could race away from him before their final session tomorrow.

A break of 56 from Murphy sees him claim the first frame of the day on the other main showpiece table.

Tom registers for the first time today to stem the Trump tidal wave. Two more frames to come before the break. Trump 7-3 clear.

Judd fighting the good fight as he closes the gap to 42 points with a possible 35 left up. Still a tall order, but happy to make Tom sweat a bit with one red left on top. Ford then misses an easy red to secure the frame. Edgy sort of miss. But he makes amends by rolling it in from distance. And that will be that.

No maximum from Tom as a tough black just sticks in the jaws. Such a high black is always missable. But a 73 should be good enough to earn him this 10th frame. Judd coming back to the baize needing two snookers.

Every chance of this being a one-visit hit from the Leicester player. Every chance. And every chance too of a 147 attempt on the cards. Only one tough red on the side rail here as he races beyond the 60-mark. This is fast and flowing stuff so far. Ford hitting right back. Saying to Judd: “Have some of this back”. Was presented with a golden chance, but hasn’t knocked it back.

Judd butchers a long red. Not sure if he was playing a shot to nothing, or trying to get white back to baulk, but he has left Tom right bang in among the balls at the business end. Vital that Ford cracks on here.

Brilliant double on a red to keep the break going after rolling in the black to bring up the ton. His 77th of the season. 107 of the best from Judd, and he moves 7-2 ahead in the race to 13. Ford forced to sit and suffer.

Well, Tom Ford was looking to make fast start to the day, but it is Trump who has sped out of the blocks. Heading for a five-frame lead here. Looks to be right at it. Bringing his Sunday best to Friday afternoon at the Crucible.

Fabulous long red by Judd to gain access to the table, and he then fires in a yellow to continue his visit to the table. Studying a plant for his next trick, and in it goes the red. Brilliant shot. Everyone loves a plant.

Trump tries to whack in a long red from distance, but he rattles the jaws. No damage done. Ford would dearly love to win this mini-session 3-1 before the interval.

So we’ve got 2019 world champion Judd Trump holding a 6-2 lead against Tom Ford before they resume in the next 10 minutes, while old foes Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire get their last-16 match up and running. This golden quartet will be hoping for better fortunes than poor old Robert Milkins this morning, who staged a grand collapse against David Gilbert to fall 12-4 behind. His cue has taken a real hammering.

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire 0-0 Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert 12-4 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones 6-2 Si Jiahui

It could be worse, though. Just ask The Milkman…

Wow. Just wow. It’s a fourth (no, not a typo – FOURTH) time Jak Jones has won on the black, and Si Jiahui had frame ball in all of them. The Silent Assassin has only outscored his opponent 451-436 over the course of the match so far but will re-emerge this evening with a 6-2 lead, with Si looking bereft as he lost by single figures for the third time today.

It’s a fascinating passage with both players exploiting the black-brown huddle. However, eventually Si Jiahui eventually misses the yellow while snookered and Jones pounces, potting the yellow while crucially also screwing back far enough to knock in the green next up…

You take it. No, you! The black has been devilishy set on the baulk line with the brown set right behind it and that was clearly on Jak Jones’ mind as he spends so much time attempting to set up that pot, he fails to nudge the yellow home and we’re into a safety battle with the frame – and match – in the balance.

Si found himself out of position for much of the early portion of that break but eventually sorts himself out, a left-handed pot adds another red to his tally then he completes the job with an assured cannon to split the reds out.

All that hard work looks like it’s been undone when he pushes a red safe, and the 21-year-old does miss out on the frame, but now how we expected. He thins a superb middle red but then hammers the green frame ball into the top corner jaws to hand Jones a lifeline!

It’s the battle of the mid-long reds right now, but eventually Si Jiahui runs out of magic. He’s back at the table much quicker than expected though with Jones also missing, and angrily discarding his rest.

It’s a major let-off for Si Jiahui, Jones leaves himself with nothing on and is forced to thin the red cluster and end his break at 14.

FIVE bounces and in! Jones made the most of the corner jaws to open up his break in frame eight with a scintillating long red, the Welshman has the chance to really take the ascendancy ahead of this evening in this one.

It’s the third black-ball steal of the morning for Jak Jones! He’s rode his luck at times but also taken his opportunities (take note, Rob Milkins) – three of his frames have been won by less than 15 points with Si Jiahui leading 5-2 in 50+ breaks.

Boy is The Farmer hitting his stride. He’s helped by a distinct lack of pressure from Milkins, though in truth the real change has been Gilbert ending those straightforward misses that haunted him earlier this morning and kept the Milkman in it.

There’s no real ‘wow’ moments from Gilbert but there doesn’t need to be, he simply feasts on the pink (TEN pots!) after an enticing red split. The only moment of slight bother is a danger of getting stuck at the top of the table with the frame already in the bag but he simply screws back down to clear the table for his second successive century!

Over on the other table, Jak Jones has re-established his two-frame lead, and was oh-so-close to reaching three figures after a jammy yellow ricochet almost went in on the opposite corner to intended.

Milkins rubbed his neck and shoulders as Gilbert completed that whitewash, they’ve been causing him increasing problems this morning but his big problem is the scoreboard right now.

It’s the last frame of this session after Gilbert has put in breaks of 67, 84 and 136 in the last three, it’s a cagey start though.

“At the moment, Gilbert is the only one of these two playing snooker” isn’t an exaggeration from the Eurosport commentary team. The Farmer splits a red cluster to earn the crowd’s applause once again with the frame already wrapped up, and goes on to get the first century of the day for an even louder ovation!

Four blues, three pinks, and eight blacks (and of course the 15 reds) before clearing out the colours, Gilbert is on his way to the next round. The only question is, how long can Milkins delay the inevitable?

Will Milkins look back on this as the emotional turning point? He’s just fouled at the start the 15th frame, potting the cue ball, which would support that hypothesis.

Despite his commanding lead, Gilbert still looks uncomfortable on the power shots. He attempts to cannon apart the red cluster but doesn’t get too much purchase – thankfully the cue comes back off the top cushion and past the baulk line so he has his choice of colours, opting for green to continue his break.

The Farmer’s finally hitting his stride it seems, after that 67 break last time he’s followed it up with an even better half-century here. He barely looked in any danger of bogging down too – eventually screwing back down the table (while also potting blue, which has sometimes caused problems today) and charges on well past break ball, before a red on the corner jaws eventually ends the best of the match.

Frame over. Game over? Milkins rocketed another red out of the top corner and Gilbert finally puts it to bed, while a 72-28 win on the other table means Jak Jones has re-established his lead over Si Jiahui, 3-2.

That’s an absolute stinker! Milkins requring perfection to recover the frame, he hammers a really poor red into the same jaws that Gilbert just hit, but from about a third of the distance as his opponent! Pressure’s on at the Crucible as Gilbert plays it safe for now, still one snooker needed.

It’s Gilbert’s first half-century, and what a time to do it. The Farmer mostly ploughed the middle of the table, alternating blue-pink after that fantastic opening red to start things off, eventually he jaws a delicate top red, Milkins requires a snooker to keep this frame going.

And we’re off!! It was a cagey start but we’re finally up and running as Gilbert thins a middle red and follows up blue-pink to get the scoreboard ticking.

We are so back.

Rob Milkins is in one hell of a whole here. The good news is that Gilbert’s mistakes are keeping The Milkman in it, the bad news is Milkins is looking even more shredded than his opponent right now, the only good news is he now has 15 minutes to recover.

Milkins is alive, but only just. After four pinks, Gilbert slams the attempted fifth into the corner jaws as he lost his cue action there. Milkins can’t capitalise though and this should be a routine cleanup for The Farmer though, while Si Jiahui’s 84-break sees him enter the interval level with Jak Jones.

Milkins still seems rattled and after a long stalemate, Gilbert finally cuts a red to get back into this frame and opens up a thin red with his next blue pot, earning a smattering of applause.

On the other table, Si Jiahui has finally got on the board!

This has been one hell of a bitty game (and frame) so far hasn’t it?

Milkins gets the pink back on its spot and screws back into a yellow, but then bites off more than he can chew attempting a huge cannon to open up the frame, misses and throws his cue on the floor in disgust!!

It’s yet another Gilbert foul – this time potting the cue – but once again Milkins can’t really capitalise, stunning the white on the red and though he misses the next black, it remains blocking the bottom left.

It’s a cruel game sometimes. Gilbert launches yet another long red to continue his form in that department, but his middle blue cannon inadvertantly pots a red to put us all square early in this crucial frame.

Milkins gave it is his all despite the big margin, but he’s eventually forced to concede defeat and now trails by three frames with just one more to go until the interval in this best-of-25 match.

Milkins handed Gilbert a tricky safety but he responds with the second laser-guided long red of the frame to just extend his advantage a little further before resorting to a safety. Whoever pots the final red will be strong favourite to win this frame.

A textbook long red is the cornerstone and finally there’s a bit of luck in this one as Gilbert’s cannon breaks up the cluster that Milkins threw so much at. It garners three pinks for The Farmer but he can’t close things out as he somewhat snookers himself on the obvious red.

At least Gilbert can’t add insult to injury by taking advantage of all of Milkins’ hard work… Until he misses a gut wrenching red and Gilbert can finally start break-building in earnest.

Milkins is desperately unlucky to be unrewarded from a superb powerful split, but recovers to put his rest potting record at 12 out of 13 now. He follows that up with another cluster cannon but once again it opens up precious little and finally that tells, as he jaws a middle red.

After a slight debate over where the pink is reset to, Milkins is up and running. Can he pull it back to 6-5?

The Milkman hasn’t always delivered today (or yesterday, or in round one) but he’s still here and he’s still fighting! He produces a positional masterclass to ensure it’s 1-1 today, which is probably a fair reflection of the imperfect play.

This could well be the match right here. Gilbert pots the final red but cannons the brown up to a horrible position on the baulk cushion and opts for the safety. He’s so close to snookering Milkins but just misses, and he then works up behind the green from his first pot to set up the open goal…

How to Transform a Table in One Shot by Robert Milkins! He fires the pink home and breaks open the red cluster too, before a sumptuous cushion-first red keeps The Milkman on his round. He can’t finish it off though, playing onto an awkward red then forced to take a tentative safety up the table.

Gilbert takes one, two, THREE looks at the middle pink but ultimately is forced to pot the safer blue, setting up a relatively simple mid-range diagonal red… That he misses! It’s yet another mistake, will this one cost The Farmer a frame?

Milkins refuses a red, opting for a terrible safety shot that allows Gilbert to take first blood instead. The Farmer wasn’t exactly inch-perfect either but has got away with it and he’s up and running.

Two blue misses decided that frame but from staring down the barrel of 5-4, Gilbert’s rescued his three-frame lead.

It looked like this was set to re-establish Gilbert’s dominance on the match, instead it’s right in the balance! Milkins gets straight to work, with a much more confident cannon splitting the central cluster and he thins a wondrously light red off the corner jaws to keep the break going. But after clearing up the baize colours, he can’t finish it off with a screw down to the blue just misplaced, and Gilbert can snatch the frame after all…

Gilbert nails three red-blacks but his cannon to break up the red cluster doesn’t carry too much force and his screw up the table lands too close to the side cushion. He cuts three successive mid-range reds to seemingly regroup, but misses an absolute sitter blue into the middle jaws to allow Milkins to respond. that’s a true howler.

A straight red give Gilbert an easy start this morning.

First up, Jak Jones is introduced to the crowd in this fantastic venue. He walks out to the Stereophonics’ Dakota, Si Jiahui is welcomed by Imagine Dragons and Demons. Got to be first blood to the Silent Assassin, surely? Both are outshone by Milkins though, obviously.

Jimmy White’s been giving his early analysis on this one, saying what we all know: that rescue mission in the eighth frame from Milkins was crucial:

The Milkman failed to deliver for much of yesterday’s session while The Farmer just kept on ploughing to open up a 5-2 lead, but Milkins gave himself a lifeline by clinching the eighth frame in this best-of-25 clash.

Round two continues from the Steel City today, who’ll have the edge to survive in the Crucible? David Gilbert v Robert Milkins is nicely poised from yesterday, while Jak Jones and Si Jiahui also get underway in 15 minutes time. Then after lunch we’ll see Judd Trump, Tom Ford, Stephen Maguire and Shaun Murphy in action!

• David Gilbert 5-3 Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones v Si Jiahui

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford
• Stephen Maguire v Shaun Murphy

• David Gilbert v Robert Milkins
• Jak Jones v Si Jiahui

• Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-1 Jackson Page

• John Higgins 10-6 Jamie Jones

Thursday, April 25

• David Gilbert 5-3 Robert Milkins

• Judd Trump 6-2 Tom Ford